The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for missing crewmembers from the fishing vessel Lily Jean after a full-day search by air and sea yielded no survivors. One person has been confirmed dead, and six remain missing in the frigid Atlantic off the coast of Massachusetts.
The Coast Guard said it received an emergency position-indicating radio beacon activation Friday morning from the 72-foot fishing vessel, which reportedly sank approximately 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann, Mass., about 40 miles northeast of Boston. Rescuers did not receive a response when trying to contact the vessel.
The Lily Jean was a groundfish trawler owned by Gus Sanfilippos out of Gloucester, Mass. Seven people were reported to be aboard the Lily Jean at the time of the sinking. Their identities have not been publicly released.
Air and surface crews searched continuously for about 24 hours. During the search, responders located a debris field near the beacon’s reported position, recovered one unresponsive individual from the water, and found the vessel’s life raft, which had been deployed but was unoccupied.
According to the Coast Guard, crews conducted coordinated search patterns based on weather conditions, sea state, and available evidence. The search covered approximately 1,047 square miles and involved multiple aircraft, cutters, and small boats.
At the time of the incident, air temperatures were around 6 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind chills below zero. Water temperatures were approximately 40 degrees, according to local weather data.
After consultation between search-and-rescue mission coordinators and on-scene commanders, the Coast Guard determined that all reasonable search efforts for the missing crewmembers had been exhausted.
“The decision to suspend the search was incredibly difficult. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the family members and friends of the lost crew of the Lilly Jean, and with the entire Gloucester community during this heartbreaking time,” said Capt. Jamie Frederick, commander of Coast Guard Sector Boston.
The cause of the incident is being investigated by the Coast Guard Northeast District, the agency said.
“I’m heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester about the sinking of the Lily Jean and have offered our full support to Mayor Lundberg, Harbormaster Lucido, and the Coast Guard. I am praying for the crew, and my heart goes out to their loved ones and all Gloucester fishing families during this awful time, Gov. Maura Healey, D-Mass., said in a social media post. "Fishermen and fishing vessels are core to the history, economy and culture of Gloucester and Cape Ann, and this tragedy is felt all across the state.”
